4 Indian crew of Iran oil tanker freed on bail without charge

London: Four Indian nationals arrested in connection with an ongoing investigation into an Iranian oil supertanker seized off the Spanish coast last week have been freed on bail without charge, the Royal Gibraltar Police said on Saturday.

The local force for Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory, said the investigation was going on and the oil tanker Grace 1 remains in detention.

"All four crew members of the Grace 1 arrested by the Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP)have been bailed without charge," an RGP spokesperson said.

"The investigation is still ongoing and the Grace 1 continues detained under the provisions of the Sanctions Regulations 2019 which are born out of the Sanctions Act 2019," the spokesperson said.

The Master, or captain, and the Chief Officer of the vessel were arrested on Thursday and two Second Officers were arrested on Friday as a consequence of the investigation into the suspected breach of European Union (EU) sanctions on Syria. All four Indian nationals have now been granted "police bail with conditions".

The local police had earlier said that the crew members had been granted full legal assistance, telephone contact with their families and access to their consular authorities.